Memorial Day is to commemorate the men and women who died during our military service. This three-day weekend is also the beginning of the de facto Spring/Summer festival celebrations. Every veteran I know likes the idea of throwing parties to celebrate the fallen. Respect and celebration are what soldiers call their combat partners. They go hand in hand; they are teammates, and you need both of them to do well. So how do we respect and celebrate those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom?
Answer: Respect your service by serving others.
When I was in service, none of the SEALs in my three platoons wanted to die, let alone die for the country. Don’t get me wrong, we are all very patriotic and willing to go to extremes. However, the only common promise of all teammates is that they are willing to put the team in danger. This selfless mentality makes our army unique. We are a team of volunteers, and we are willing to put the needs of the team before personal needs. This commitment to training and combat service has enabled our troops to have a multiplier effect on the battlefield. When teams are made up of compatriots who are willing to do their best for the team to succeed, these teams become unstoppable.
The best way to pay tribute to veterans is to imitate their service behavior. I’m not talking about hitting the firing line or jumping on a grenade. Rather, I mean serving your team with the same tireless actions as the team serving our country. Those who died in uniform did so because the American way of life deserves protection.
I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. Some are sole proprietorships, like my grandfather of large animal vets, and some are entrepreneurial team trainers, like my great-grandfather, who started a business out of his garage in 1926 (and continues today). They also wear uniforms. They use the service mindset they learned in the military to serve their colleagues, clients, and the community. Their spirit is to take care of your team and they will take care of you.
One of my mentors in the SEALs, a sergeant major nicknamed “Silver Fox” because of his shiny turban, reminds me of this spirit every day, if not hourly: yours. “It’s not complicated, it’s just that it’s hard to put others before yourself. When others don’t seem to care, it’s hard to care about them. When other people just want to serve themselves, service can be difficult. But trust me, serving with unremitting action is the difference between a true entrepreneur and an aspiring pioneer. This is what distinguishes our armed forces from other forces in the world.
On this Memorial Day, take a moment to think about what it means to truly serve your colleagues, customers, and the communities where you live and operate. It’s as if your life depends on it. After all, this is how our troops serve. The best way to commemorate our fallen is to reward others for their service by serving others. Remember this: there are many people around the world dedicated to serving you. Now it is worth celebrating. Happy Memorial Day.
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